ACFL Division 1
Tir na nOg 2-11 St. Enda’s 2-11
Tir na nOg kept their division 1 survival very much alive when they earned a valuable point against visitors St. Enda’s at Whitehill last night but the Randalstown men will feel that in the end this was a point lost rather than a point gained.
In a game of changing fortunes where both sides enjoyed periods of ascendancy a Ciaran O’Neill point in the 30th minute of the second half looked to have won it for the home side but a battling St. Enda’s replied with the equaliser with practically the last kick of the game.
It was Tir na nOg who made the early running as they hit four unanswered point to lead 0-4 to 0-0 after five minutes with Aaron McNeilly, Peter Cullen, Darra Fagan and Barry McCormick the men on target.
It took the visitors a time to settle but by the 19th minute they had drawn level with four points of their own and appeared to be taking control but the impressive Dara Fagan responded with Tir na nOg’s first score for over 15 minutes to edge the home side ahead once more.
The final point of the half fell to the Glengormley side to leave it all square at 0-5 to 0-5 as Mark |O’Neill blew the half time whistle and it looked a hard one to call as they turned around for the second half.
The Hightown Road side edged in front for the first time with a point in the opening minute of the second half but as they had done in the first half, Tir na nOg put a sustained period of pressure together as they came storming back.
Barry Fagan and Barry McCormick pointed them ahead once more but the visitors were coming more and more into the game and struck back with a goal in the 8th minute to go ahead for the second time.
Tir na nOg needed another response and it came with points from Dara Fagan and Ciaran Dobbin to edge their side ahead once more as this excellent end to end encounter moved up a gear and there was little between the sides at this stage of the contest.
It was St. Enda’s who started to gain the iniative however and when they scored a second goal after 17 minutes all the Tir na nOg good worked looked to have been in vain but this time showed their fighting spirit to stage a remarkable comeback.
It all looked in vain though as St. Enda’s led 2-10 to 0-10 with only three minutes of normal time remaining but Christy Sheerin pointed and Eamkon Og McAllister and Ciaran O’Neill struck with late goals to move them one in front to complete a remarkable comeback.
The visitors, to their credit held their nerve and in one last attack they conjured a point and a share of the spoils.
This win moves Tir na nOg two points above Gort na Mona at the bottom of the division 1 table and one behind St. Mary’s Aghagallon but with games to come against both of these sides and against St. Brigid’s and St. Mary’s Ahoghill their fate remains very much in their own hands